Jeremiah

Chapter 9

1 Oh that my head7218 were waters,4325 and my eyes5869 a fountain4726 of tears,1832 that I might weep1058 day3119 and night3915 for the slain2491 of the daughter1323 of my people!5971

2 Oh that I had in the wilderness4057 a lodging4411 place of wayfaring732 men; that I might leave5800 my people,5971 and go3212 from them! for they be all3605 adulterers,5003 an assembly6116 of treacherous898 men.

3 And they bend1869 their tongues3956 like their bow7198 for lies:8267 but they are not valiant1396 for the truth530 on the earth;776 for they proceed3318 from evil7451 to evil,7451 and they know3045 not me, said5002 the LORD.3068

4 Take you heed8104 every376 one376 of his neighbor,7453 and trust982 you not in any3605 brother:251 for every3605 brother251 will utterly supplant,6117 and every3605 neighbor7453 will walk1980 with slanders.7400

5 And they will deceive2048 every376 one376 his neighbor,7453 and will not speak1696 the truth:571 they have taught3925 their tongue3956 to speak1696 lies,8267 and weary3811 themselves to commit5753 iniquity.5753

6 Your habitation3427 is in the middle8432 of deceit;4820 through deceit4820 they refuse3985 to know3045 me, said5002 the LORD.3068

7 Therefore3651 thus3541 said559 the LORD3068 of hosts,6635 Behold,2005 I will melt6884 them, and try974 them; for how349 shall I do6213 for the daughter1323 of my people?5971

8 Their tongue3956 is as an arrow2671 shot7819 out; it speaks1696 deceit:4820 one speaks1696 peaceably7965 to his neighbor7453 with his mouth,6310 but in heart7130 he lays7760 his wait.696

9 Shall I not visit6485 them for these428 things? said5002 the LORD:3068 shall not my soul5315 be avenged5358 on such834 a nation1471 as this?2088

10 For the mountains2022 will I take5375 up a weeping1065 and wailing,5092 and for the habitations4999 of the wilderness4057 a lamentation,7015 because3588 they are burned3341 up, so that none1097 376 can pass5674 through them; neither3808 can men hear8085 the voice6963 of the cattle;4735 both the fowl5775 of the heavens8064 and the beast929 are fled;5074 they are gone.1980

11 And I will make5414 Jerusalem3389 heaps,1530 and a den4583 of dragons;8577 and I will make5414 the cities5892 of Judah3063 desolate,8077 without1097 an inhabitant.3427

12 Who4310 is the wise2450 man,376 that may understand995 this?2063 and who is he to whom834 the mouth6310 of the LORD3068 has spoken,1696 that he may declare5046 it, for what4100 the land776 perishes6 and is burned3341 up like a wilderness,4057 that none1097 passes5674 through?

13 And the LORD3068 said,559 Because5921 they have forsaken5800 my law8451 which834 I set5414 before6440 them, and have not obeyed8085 my voice,6963 neither3808 walked1980 therein;

14 But have walked3212 after310 the imagination8307 of their own heart,3820 and after310 Baalim,1168 which834 their fathers1 taught3925 them:

15 Therefore3651 thus3541 said559 the LORD3068 of hosts,6635 the God430 of Israel;3478 Behold,2005 I will feed398 them, even this2088 people,5971 with wormwood,3939 and give them water4325 of gall7219 to drink.8248

16 I will scatter6327 them also among the heathen,1471 whom834 neither3808 they nor their fathers1 have known:3045 and I will send7971 a sword2719 after310 them, till5704 I have consumed3615 them.

17 Thus3541 said559 the LORD3068 of hosts,6635 Consider995 you, and call7121 for the mourning6969 women, that they may come;935 and send7971 for cunning2450 women, that they may come:935

18 And let them make haste,4116 and take5375 up a wailing5092 for us, that our eyes5869 may run3381 down with tears,1832 and our eyelids6079 gush5140 out with waters.4325

19 For a voice6963 of wailing5092 is heard8085 out of Zion,6726 How349 are we spoiled!7703 we are greatly3966 confounded,954 because3588 we have forsaken5800 the land,776 because3588 our dwellings4908 have cast7993 us out.

20 Yet3588 hear8085 the word1697 of the LORD,3068 O you women,802 and let your ear241 receive3947 the word1697 of his mouth,6310 and teach3925 your daughters1323 wailing,5092 and every802 one her neighbor7468 lamentation.7015

21 For death4194 is come5927 up into our windows,2474 and is entered935 into our palaces,759 to cut3772 off the children5768 from without,2351 and the young970 men from the streets.7339

22 Speak,1696 Thus3541 said5002 the LORD,3068 Even the carcasses5038 of men120 shall fall5307 as dung1828 on the open6440 field,7704 and as the handful5995 after310 the harvestman,7114 and none369 shall gather622 them.

23 Thus3541 said559 the LORD,3068 Let not the wise2450 man glory1984 in his wisdom,2451 neither408 let the mighty1368 man glory1984 in his might,1369 let not the rich6223 man glory1984 in his riches:6239

24 But let him that glories1984 glory1984 in this,2063 that he understands7919 and knows3045 me, that I am the LORD3068 which exercise6213 loving kindness,2617 judgment,4941 and righteousness,6666 in the earth:776 for in these428 things I delight,2654 said5002 the LORD.3068

25 Behold,2009 the days3117 come,935 said5002 the LORD,3068 that I will punish6485 all3605 them which are circumcised4135 with the uncircumcised;6190

26 Egypt,4714 and Judah,3063 and Edom,123 and the children1121 of Ammon,5983 and Moab,4124 and all3605 that are in the utmost7112 corners,6285 that dwell3427 in the wilderness:4057 for all3605 these nations1471 are uncircumcised,6189 and all3605 the house1004 of Israel3478 are uncircumcised6189 in the heart.3820